Analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) are circuitry in many electronic devices such as audio and video players, digital cameras, cellular phones, televisions, and the like. An ADC converts analog signals into digital signals. Some device may receive information such as sound and light and use an analog signal to present the information. The analog signal usually has a continuous curve shape. The device may use an ADC to convert the analog signal, which presents the received information, into a digital signal for further processing. The digital signal usually has a square-like shape representing digital values such as binary value zeros and ones (digits “0” and “1”). Some devices may choose to process digital signals instead of analog signals for various reasons such as device performance.
Many different types of ADCs are available. Depending on the application of a device, one type of ADC may suit a device better than the other types. Selecting which type of ADCs to use in a device may involve consideration of the characteristics of the ADC, such as size, speed, accuracy, and power consumption.